Engineered regenerative substrates as therapeutics for retinal degeneration

• Isolated and characterized regeneration permissive retinal ECM factors from
• Tested the ability of the isolated regenerative ECM factors to induce retinal progenitor cell (RPCs) survival, proliferation, migration and differentiation.
• Identified cell-signaling events triggered by regenerative ECM factors isolated from axolotl retina on RPCs.
• Correlated cell response and cell signaling using partial least-squares regression modeling.

Retinal extracellular matrix-based tissue engineering for treatment of retinal degeneration.

• Successfully decellularized porcine retinal ECM and characterized its biochemical
• Fabricated porcine retinal ECM substrates for RPC transplantation into the subretinal space.
• Studied RPC survival, proliferation, migration, differentiation and integration into an ex-vivo retinal explant culture

Three-dimensional printing of cell loaded scaffolds for cartilage and bone tissue engineering

• Fabricated three-dimensional (3D) cell-printed scaffolds using layer-by-layer deposition of polycaprolactone (PCL) and chondrocyte cell-encapsulated alginate hydrogel.
• Isolated primary nasal septal cartilage chondrocytes and cultured chondrocytes were encapsulated within alginate hydrogels before printed within a PCL framework.
• 3D cell-printed PCL/alginate gel scaffolds implanted in dorsal subcutaneous spaces of mice showedenhanced cartilage tissue formation for cartilage
• Developed bio-printed tubular hybrid scaffold consisting of PCL/PLGA and collagen gel containing BMP-2 for bone
• Isolated, cultured and seeded human nasal inferior turbinate-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hTMSCs) on PCL/PLGA/collagen/rhBMP-2 bioprinted scaffold for implantation experiments.
• Bioprinted PCL/PLGA/collagen/rhBMP-2 hybrid scaffolds showed good spatiotemporal resolution and significantbone formation in critical sized rabbit diaphyseal.

Silk protein-based biomaterials for tissue engineering and drug delivery

• Investigated the potential of silk fibroin and silk sericin protein-based biomaterials for tissue engineering anddrug
• Fabricated silk fibroin/methacrylated PVA semi-IPN hydrogels that controlled release of model macromolecules through its network
• Developed biosynthetic copolymer gels of methacrylated silk sericin and PVA with enhanced cell viability compared to synthetic
• Synthesized silk protein nanoparticles from silk fibroin solutions and studied its cellular uptake and release of growth factors.
• Cellular uptake showed accumulation of nanoparticles in cytosol of SCC7 cells and in-vitro VEGF release from nanoparticles demonstrated a sustained release without initial burst.